Little People - Big World

Blue Agave - Sedona, AZ

Devil's Kitchen Sinkhole - Sedona, AZ

Devil's Kitchen Sinkhole - Silhouettes

"In a poll of 143 creativity researchers, there was wide agreement about the number one ingredient in creative achievement.  And, it was exactly the kind of perseverance and resilience produced by the growth mindset."  Carol Dweck, PH.D, author of Mindset.

I just received the book, Mindset, and have started reading it.  The comment above summarizes the concepts, as I understand them, in chapter one.  I wish I could say that I have either a Fixed Mindset or a Growth Mindset, based on the quickie self analysis tests in this chapter.

What I've discovered over the past few weeks, however, is that I am generally happy to learn almost anything, and I'm pretty realistic about screw ups and "failures" which makes me a candidate for the growth mindset.  But.... if I have preconceived or fixed notions about my abilities, for example cashiering or making pottery, and I run into set backs and challenges, I find it easy to slip into a Fixed Mindset, and disparage, dismiss, and deny the challenge rather than accept that some things are harder to accomplish than I thought.

It's a big world, filled with possibilities and sometimes I feel so small and insignificant, but that's not a bad thing, really.  Like this book points out, having perspective and being realistic are basic to growth.

To be continued....